Click on the above title to get a story from Dave Little which summarizes the extortion that the thoroughbred industry is looking to attempt to hold up the opening of the Meadowlands. But I have a question to ask my readers?
Am I wrong when I call out the thoroughbred industry in New Jersey for attempting to shaft the standardbred industry to allow them refuse to accept the new economic realities? Am I over reacting to what has happened in Minnesota, Iowa, Maryland and elsewhere? Read the comments in the Michigan Bred Claimer and see how there is a thoroughbred representative taking apparent delight on how they believe they have Hazel Park by their 'baseballs' Harness and thoroughbred interests have been working to get parimutuel racing in Georgia, but does anyone doubt if the legislation is approved, the runners will do all they can to keep harness racing out of the state even if they helped in the campaign?
Now, I am not naive, if the harness industry was more financial secure and better organized, we may be in the the reverse situation and that is a shame. We are all in the parimutuel industry and if we worked together without trying to rip the other down things mmay work out better..
Yet, we play in the sandbox with them and we act surprised when they get their daggers out. Standardbred Canada covers a lot of thoroughbred racing for a harness breed registry. Why do we act like we will get a fair deal with the runners when they get the opportunity to look out for themselves?
Want an example of the hostility to the standardbred industry? For years, harness racing has had colored saddle pads and when the thoroughbred industry went to colored pads, they deliberately changed the color scheme so not to conform with harness racing which would have made things easier for all horsreplayers, but no
Years ago driver Art Giambrone developed rear view mirrors for a sulky helmet so he could see what was going on behind him easier. Why do I feel whenever we get into a meeting with the thoroughbred industry that helmet should be mandatory equipment so we can see the stabbing coming? .
I want to hear from you. Am I wrong, right, or am I missing something? Clearly this is not the way it should be, can we ever get to the point where the breeds work together and then not try to screw the other?
4 comments:
Hey Fool
Why have none of comments made by thoroughbred horsemen been published on your blog?
The truth hurts doesn't it.
I have not deleted any posts by thoroughbred horsemen. Please see http://viewfromthegrandstand.blogspot.com/2011/04/have-i-gone-to-far-note-about-comments.html for more information.
Pacingguy
I see you posted on Paulick Report.
Here is part of my post-
The vast majority of money bet (80%) at the Meadowlands is bet on thoroughbred racing via simulcasting- not harness racing (live or simulcasted). How long do you think the Meadowlands could survive if it no longer could offer wagering on thoroughbreds? Not very long.
This has zero to do with the number of standardbreds vs t-breds in the state. It has even less to do with improving stock to win races. It has to do with gaining the monies to increase the purse structure (the subsidies are gone)wherever thoroughbred racing takes place in the state. You say it is extortion.
I say the thoroughbred horsemen are demanding what was rightfully theirs all along.
So yeah, I think you are wrong. And calling the actions of the NJTHA "extortion" may be considered libelous and defamatory. A "smart" guy like you should know that.
Bonnie, this is where I think you are wrong.
State statute dictates how simulcast revenue is distributed in the state. Thoroughbred interests are trying to change the forumula and are alluding to challenging the right for Jeff Gural to operate the Meadowlands; this is where I call it extortion (which as my blog is an opinion page I beleive protects me from libel accusations).
Now as to who owns what signal. No doubt the horsemen who race at Monmouth produce the product and have a right to make a fair profit which by the way, they are all being denied by ADWs. The same for those who race at the Meadowlands.
My question is why should NJ thoroughbred horsemen claim a larger share of simulcasting revenue for racing at Hollywookd Park of Los Alamitos. How many New Jersey horsemen have put anything into their programs? To be fair, how much inerest do NJ harness horsemen have in harness racing from Indiana? Little or none. To me, it doesn't matter what breed those signals are of. What about the mule races in Oregon and on the California fair circuit, who owns the rights to those?
The rights belong to those who produce the product, not relatives in different states.
I have no problem if the NJTHA said we produce the product at Monmouth and we deserve a bigger share of it since we no longer race at the Meadowlands; they are the ones who own that product. My proposl where each track will basically treat wagers on the other track as if it was bet at the track producing the product is a fair request, but to ask for a portion of a thoroughbred signal from Australia, Washington, Indiana, Illinois and elsewhere than allowed by statute is wrong.
Lastly, most tracks are starting to learn, racing long meets make no sense and to race long meets at a given time allows horsemen to race for so little. It seems the NJTHA has not learned the lesson of last year. Why do you think Del Mar and Saratoga draw interest? They are there for two months and gone. Racing forever, dries up business and increases copetition. The worst thing the Meadowlands did was start January 1 and go through August; eight full months, you wear people outand lose the 'specialness' of racing..
And lastly, why should the Meadowlands allow a thoroughbred meet? Will Monmouth allow the standardbreds to set up shop there for a few weeks? I tend to doubt it.
I have no problem when the breeds in each state work together to solve a common problem. My problem is when one breed tries to take advantage of another breed to the other one's detriment.
Bonnie, thanks for your comments. I appreciate them. I hope to hear from you in the future.
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